Chapter 4
Loud noises…crashing sounds…yelling…the sound of an engine.
Ruby red eyes slowly began to blink open as the dark hedgehog that had been captured began to awake. Harsh bright lights and the after effects of the substance injected into his system caused the hedgehog's ability to see to be downgraded considerably.
Almost immediately after reawakening, searing hot white pain shot though Shadow's body as he instinctively tried to cover his wounded areas with his hands. When he tried to move however, he found that he was unable to.
It didn't take long for the hedgehog to figure out that he was bound to something, causing the restrictions of movement on his part. The dark hedgehog tried adjusting his sight by squeezing his eyes shut but to no avail. Upon reopening, everything was still the same bright blurry sight.
"Hey, I think it's waking up!"
"Well, what are you doing? Get another tranquilizer!"
"Roger!"
Shadow tried to push against his restraints once again when he heard the small conversation, only to find the searing pain to return once again. He was helpless. The dark hedgehog felt his head moved slightly to the right by rough gloved hands. After, the hedgehog felt a familiar stinging sensation in his neck.
Due to his current state, it took a shorter time for the effects of the drug to kick in this time. Shadow began losing consciousness again as his heavy eyes unwillingly shut.
One Hour Later
One of the soldiers stationed at guard duty of the hedgehog sighed slightly as he leaned back against the side of the rumbling truck. The hedgehog before him was strapped to a long metal chair with restraints fixed with bolts at both of his arms and legs.
There was one other soldier with him, the one who had tranquilized the hedgehog soon after his reawakening.
The first soldier leaned off of the wall and spoke with impatience filling his voice. "How long until we get back to the base?"
The other soldier looked at a small watch on his right wrist. He looked back up at his fellow soldier. "About two hours."
The first soldier grunted and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. He reopened them however, when he heard the other soldier's voice. "Can you believe he took out the entire Alpha sector's troops?"
The first soldier looked at him. "Yeah, I've never heard of anything that strong. How does he do it?"
The second soldier reached for a small brown bag at his feet and opened it, pulling out the green Chaos Emerald. "With this!" He said holding it up.
The first officer's eyes widened as the second continued. "You see, fifty years ago, Professor Gerald Robotnik was experimenting with the theory of immortality. His studies and research brought forth four final, living, breathing creatures."
The first soldier interrupted him. "How do you know all of this?"
The second soldier responded. "I was part of the Project: Shadow research team after Dr. Robotnik released him from cryogenic stasis." The soldier eyed the emerald again. "Anyway, the first complete product was Ultimate Life Form Project 000. Codenamed: the Biolizard."
The first soldier titled his head. "What happened to it?"
"Well, apparently, the Biolizard was indeed immortal, but only when equipped with a specially designed life support system. And as even you must know, the Biolizard met its end three years ago at the hands of him." He said motioning over to Shadow.
The first soldier looked back at Shadow, then to his fellow soldier. "But then who were those other two hedgehogs with powers similar to his?"
"I'm getting to that!" He responded, clearly annoyed. "After the failure of 000, Gerald set forth on field studies to find the perfect DNA to base the ultimate life form's structure of. He came across Angel Island, where he found two ancient fossils. One of a supposed god and another of a female echidna."
"Gods and echidnas? Are you serious?" The first soldier asked skeptically.
The second soldier nodded. "Of course I am. After bringing to fossils back to Ark, the professor experimented with these and finally bringing forth experiments 001 and 002, codenamed: Project Eclipse and Project Amber."
"Were those the other two hedgehogs?" The first officer asked.
The second officer nodded. "Yes, but 001 was found very unstable and even psychotic while 002 lacked the physical strength needed to be called the ultimate. So, Gerald sealed both away. The good doctor was starting to get frustrated when he made contact with the Black Comet, the Black Arms and their leader, Black Doom."
"Are you talking about those aliens that invaded the planet not so long ago?" The first one asked ignorantly.
"Yes, now shut up! Gerald used Black Doom's DNA to create a creature of immense power and capability, Ultimate Life Form project 003, codenamed; Project Shadow! As you know, our Commander fifty years ago ordered to seize 003 for our own warfare. Unfortunately, the hedgehog totally snapped from the death of a little girl aboard the Ark and we had no choice but to cryogenically freeze him. Fifty years later, Gerald's grandson discovered Project Shadow and nearly let it destroy humanity. As it turned out, 003 was not an evil being like his father at all and after the invasion of the Black Arms, the President cleared him of all charges and ordered for his freedom."
The first officer's eyes widened. "Then what are we doing?"
"Don't worry, the president doesn't know about this. But after the invasion, the Ark released 001, followed by 002 a year later."
"But why were they released then?" The second soldier asked.
"Because," He said impatiently. "After his granddaughter's death, Gerald became hell-bent on the destruction of this planet. So he set it all up: Gerald deliberately left behind a journal for his grandson to find so he could free 003 and destroy the world."
"But that didn't happen." The first officer replied.
"Yes, but being the smart fellow he was, Gerald installed a fail-safe program into the Ark. If under some circumstances, 003 should fail, 000 would be released and carry out the task of world destruction. Then, one year after, if the Ark was still operational, it would release 001, followed by 002 exactly one year later, all to carry out the destruction of the planet."
"But 003 over here stopped them all." The first soldier replied.
The second soldier smirked. "That he did, and that's exactly why he's so valuable to us." He looked over at Shadow. "He proved his worth as the ultimate life form, and now it's time to take what is rightfully ours.
One Hour Later
The truck the two soldiers were sitting in came to an abrupt and sharp halt as both soldiers fell forward slightly. Immediately after a complete stop, the back doors of the truck were slammed open as multiple men in lab coats barged in.
The two soldiers respectfully moved aside as two of them grabbed the ends of the table that Shadow was strapped onto and proceeded to move him out. Two other scientists outside of the truck grabbed the other ends of the long metallic table as it was set on the titanium ground of the base.
Almost immediately, the scientists proceeded to roll the table away as it disappeared into a large sliding doorway, leaving the two soldiers at the truck to take their R&R.
Inside G.U.N. Base Alpha
"I need to get a reading of his chaotic energies!" A scientist with deep brown hair and blue eyes said while walking next to the moving table, a clipboard in front of his face.
Another scientist next to him with blond hair nodded. "Yes Professor Austin."
The table continued through the light hallway until finally, they reached another large metallic door. Professor Austin moved to a small panel in front of the door and slide an I.D. card in it, pressing a code number afterwards.
"Access Approved."
The door slid open as the two scientists from the truck rolled him into the room with Professor Austin, while the others went a separate way.
"Quick, put him into the containment stasis capsule!" Professor Austin ordered.
The other two scientists, one male and one female, obeyed and unhooked the straps on Shadow's body.
When the female reached for Shadow's arm, it suddenly snapped up as his gloved hand wrapped itself around her throat.
The scientist let out a squeak as the other took a small needle out of his lab coat.
Professor Austin rushed to him and pried the needle from his hands. He turned back to the female. "Don't worry," He said as he easily pried the hand off, which fell limb onto the table with a clank. "It's just a reflex, see?" He finished, picking up Shadow's assault arm and letting it drop again. "He's still asleep."
The female nodded as she and the male picked up the dark hedgehog under the armpits and by the knees, slowly carrying him to a green capsule in the middle of the technology filled room. The lid of it hissed open as both scientists managed to put him in it.
The female grabbed what looked like the end of a spear out of the side of the inside of the tube and pulled on it, revealing it to be connected to a long thick wire. She grimaced slightly as she opened Shadow's mouth and forcefully stuck the end of the spear like object down his throat.
Shadow gagged slightly out of reflex but soon calmed down as the scientist shoved it deeper into his throat until the end of the spear completely disappeared, only showing the large tube at the end sticking out of his slightly open mouth.
The female faced Professor Austin. "Sir, the nourishment tube is secure."
The Professor nodded. "Good, ultimate life form or not, 003 needs nutrients, just like any other living being. And I'll be damned if I let him die on my watch." He paused slightly. "Attach the neurotransmitters!"
The male nodded as he took multiple small wires with what looked like small suction cups on the end of them from the inside of the tube. Carefully, he placed them on his body. "Two on the forehead, four on each arm, five on the chest, and four on each leg.
The scientist looked at the Professor. "Sir, what about his hover shoes and gloves?"
The Professor thought for a moment. "Leave the shoes on, they were built to be resistant to almost any element, remove the gloves!"
The scientist nodded and did as he was told. He placed the gloves on a small table next to the stasis tube. The female hit a blue button next to the tube as the lid slid shut. The woman then pressed a red button as vents on the ceiling of the tube opened and a strange green liquid flowed in. It stopped when the tube was completely filled with it.
The female faced the Professor. "Sir, the preservation fluid is in."
The Professor nodded. "Good, this will keep him nice and strong, not to mention clean."
The female scientist walked back in front of a small panel which had multiple colored screens displayed. "Vital signs normal, brain wave patterns are"- the female stopped when she looked at the unusual motions of the brain wave detector. She motioned for the Professor to come over.
He slowly walked over to her as she pointed out the unusual readings. The Professor smiled slightly as he looked back to Shadow. "He's having a dream, and a bad one at that."
Indeed, the Professor was correct. Shadow was having the same nightmare from a few nights ago.
Shadow ran through a dark void as an unseen winged creature with glowing silver eyes followed him. The dark hedgehog spotted a faint light just ahead. Picking up his speed, Shadow made a dash for the light.
Before he could grasp it however, a giant clawed hand grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him back. The hedgehog watched on in horror as the small light dwindled and disappeared.
Shadow swiftly punched his captor's arm with is free hand and dropped back to the floor. Shadow turned around only to be grabbed again by the front of the neck and was lifted up to be eye-to-eye with the threat.
A faint light shone through the darkness to reveal to creature as Chaos Eclipse. The supposedly destroyed beast smirked. "You cannot escape the darkness inside your heart brother!"
And with those words, a huge clawed hand swiped at Shadow's horror stricken face.
Unconsciously, and without realizing it, Shadow spoke thought the nourishment tube, only loud enough for him to hear it. "The darkness…inside my heart."
Author's Note- Well, well, well, this is getting tense, isn't it? I would like to remind all of my readers that all my characters, techniques, and weapons are for use. All you have to do is ask.
Also, I would like to give a shout out to all my staff members in Tales Of An Ultimate, which is now ranked ninth highest subscriber wise, third highest staff wise, and third highest archive wise. If you like Shadow, please subscribe or if you would like to join, PM me. We need everyone's help to rank first in all three categories!
Finally, I am thinking about putting up bios for my fictional characters on my profile page, fully describing their appearances, personalities, and statis in my stories. I will only do this if you would like to see it so let me know.
Until next time.
